The Spring of Deception: Why We’re Always in a Rush for Change
We’ve all been there.
You step outside one morning, and suddenly, it feels like spring. The bitter cold lifts, the grey sky cracks open to reveal something resembling blue, and the sun—the actual sun!—warms your skin for the first time in months.
Immediately, we declare: Spring is here! We’ve made it! Winter is over!
And then…
The gloom descends again. The relentless drizzle returns.
Your winter coat, which you boldly packed away just yesterday, is dragged back out with a sigh.
Second winter has arrived.
Or maybe it’s third winter.
According to this meme I see every year, there is no clear-cut transition from winter to spring. Instead, we endure multiple false starts, a chaotic dance between warmth and cold before actual spring finally arrives.
And honestly? It’s painfully accurate.
Why Are We So Eager to Rush the Seasons?
We’re so desperate for change that we’ll cling to the slightest sign that spring is on its way. A few mild days in February? Bring out the sunglasses! Dust off the picnic blanket! It’s over!
But it’s not over. Not yet.
Nature knows this. She doesn’t leap straight from winter to full bloom—she moves in waves. Some days feel like a shift forward, some feel like a step back. And every year, we forget that this is normal.
The back-and-forth of the seasons mirrors our own internal cycles. We are always in transition. We don’t wake up one day suddenly transformed, full of energy, ready to burst into new life. Instead, we ebb and flow, inching forward and retreating again, testing the waters before we fully arrive.
Embracing the Chaos of Seasonal Shifts
Instead of fighting against these unpredictable transitions, what if we leaned into them?
🌿 Notice the moments of change, but don’t cling to them.
Celebrate those warm, golden afternoons without expecting them to last.
Find joy in the light returning, even if the cold isn’t quite done with us yet.
🌱 Let yourself be in transition.
You don’t have to go from stillness to action overnight.
Just like nature, you can shift forward, then pause, then shift again.
💫 Laugh at the false starts.
The spring of deception happens every year—why not embrace the humor in it?
Maybe the unpredictability is part of the fun.
A Final Thought
Winter will end. Spring will come. But in the meantime, we will be tricked, again and again, into thinking it’s already here.
Maybe the lesson isn’t just about patience for the season to arrive—but patience with ourselves as we navigate our own seasons of change.
Because, much like the weather, growth isn’t linear.
And that’s okay.
🌿 Want More Seasonal Wisdom?
Every week in Ebb & Flow Field Notes, I share reflections on living in tune with the seasons—gentle shifts, mindful rituals, and ways to embrace the natural ebb and flow of life.
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